


New Friends

by goodmorninglove



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M, minecraft au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-04
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-01-03 11:21:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1069871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodmorninglove/pseuds/goodmorninglove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavin has lived too long in the wild. And the creatures of the woods have decided that it was time for him to live among his kind. But his kind were known for their cruelty. And yet how come the people Gavin have met were...well yes they were mean to him in a way, but other than that they've been nothing but lovely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bearman

 

 

 

Gavin curled up into a tight little ball, trying to stay warm as the chills of the night started to crawl upon his skin. His fire wasn't helping much as he tried to ignore how awful he felt. It wasn't always like this. He used to be able to feel so at peace in the woods. But that was only due to the fact that he had someone with him. Now he was alone. It has been five years since he had had a decent sleep.

He suddenly hears the familiar hissing and clicking from a friend.

_"Gavin,"_  the creeper said.

He hissed and clicked in reply, "Go away." Usually, he'd be warm, welcoming and playful like he is during the day. But the nights were some kind of switch for him now. It reminded him of...sad thoughts, memories, and doubts that he couldn't ward off.

_"Look, you're...Gavin you'll end up dying from this darkness that has been eating you for years. You need to leave,"_  the creeper said, moving closer to him, its warmth radiating through its skin. Gavin knew it wouldn't explode. They were friends.  _"You were never meant to live here with us for this long. You're human. And as much as I and the other of my kind despise them, we care for you. We will never hate you. And we know that you belong with them."_

_  
_"I'm fine here," Gavin said burying his face in the warmth of the scarf made out of creeper skin. It was a precious gift from his closest creeper friend.

_"Gavin,"_ the creeper said softly but firmly,  _"You're going to leave, whether you like it or not. You've done enough for the creatures here in the woods and we will forever be in you debt. Now it's our turn to repay you."_

Gavin didn't like where this was going. He wasn't totally as opposed to the idea of living with humans as he showed to be, but he had formed a little home for himself among these creatures and there will always be a sense of familiarity. But with the humans...He didn't know their ways. He knew he was unlikely to be accepted because he was more creature now than he was human. He wouldn't have any idea how to cope with them.

All of a sudden, an enderman appeared in front of him, pink eyes and dark figure looming over him. "What are you---" he tried to say but then he was cut off the moment the enderman leaned down and captured his lips. He felt something strange, as if the enderman had placed something within his mind. And soon, everything turned dark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gavin woke up on the ground. He felt as if he was stuck, his limbs wouldn't move no matter how much he commanded them to. It was like he had lost more than half his health. He managed to turn his head and found that he was right in the middle of a city. How did he...Pink orbs floated all around him, making him remember the encounter with the enderman.

"Who the fuck are you?" 

Gavin recognized the dangerous glint of a diamond sword so threateningly close to his throat. He struggled to look at whoever held the sword and when he saw the man, his eyes noted the fact that he was wearing bearskin for clothing. He couldn't see much of the details due to the darkness of the night. Gavin tried to move, only to end up groaning in pain. Teleporting really did a number on him. A small whimper escaped him when he managed to take his left arm from under his body that still lay flat on his stomach on the rough colored ground. He realized that he could very well die now. His kind weren't exactly known for their sweetness. They were known for their brutality, selfishness, and arrogance. My friends may have very well teleported me to my death, he thought bitterly.

"Ah shit," he heard the bearman say. "You're bleeding. Dammit. Geoff is going to throw a fit when he sees all your blood on the logo."

Gavin wondered briefly why he could understand the human language. But most of him wondered about the tone of the bearman. He sounded ticked off, but worried. Another groan rang out of him when he was suddenly lifted off the ground. "Bear with it creeper boy," said bearman. But he couldn't. He was too tired. So tired.

 “Fuck no. Don’t pass out on me—Dammit.”

 

 

The next thing he knew, he was in a soft bed, filled with an unfamiliar yet strangely nice scent. He was always good with scents. Blame his nose for that. But once he gets a whiff of something he hardly ever forgets it. So it wasn’t surprising when he recognized the scent as from the bearman from last night. He wasn’t so sure what had happened. He remembered feeling a bit betrayed that his friends kicked him out, sent him away. He knew they were only thinking of his well-being, but it still stung to feel unwanted. He lived there for a total of seven years and then he was sent away just like that. He nuzzled his scarf, glad it was still around his neck. He slowly sat up, noticing that he was bandaged up. He heard snoring nearby and found said bearman asleep on a chair. Gavin’s eyes wandered for a while, taking in the house he was in. It was made out of wood, with glass windows and some paintings by the entrance. There was a chest (no doubt filled with supplies and weaponry), a crafting table, a furnace, and a few chairs. Gavin never actually bothered to make a house for his self, preferring to sleep amongst his creeper friends who were so comfortably warm.

He returned his attention back to bearman. He was startled by the sight of two things about the human. One was that he had some strange glass things sitting on the bridge of his nose. Two, he had never seen such a beautiful color of hair on a human, not to mention the exquisite way it curled. Gaving was mesmerized. If only he could take the bear hood off of his head to see more of—

A hand snatched his wrist and immediately a sword was flashed out of nowhere, already pointing threateningly at his throat. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” growled bearman. The man—well he wasn’t exactly to be called a man when he looked like he was around Gavin’s age, but Gavin liked bear _man_ rather than bear _boy_. It just sounded ridiculous. But he understood the hostility. He was absolutely defenceless and vulnerable next to a stranger who was a potential threat to him. Countless times he had woken up in the forest, whipping his bow at hand and almost killing some of his friends as well.

He softened his expression, letting his rigid arm go limp in the painfully strong hold. He schooled his expression into the one he used on startled creatures, a slight smile touching his lips.

His captor blinked, clearly surprised, but his brown eyes quickly returned to a glare, most likely suspecting him of deceit and trickery. Gavin almost forgot how humans were so insensitive to other’s emotions unlike the creatures of the woods who would’ve calmed down by now, sensing no harm intended.

So Gavin instead, tried to communicate. “Um, thank you for helping me,” he coughed sheepishly, “Even if you did point a bloody sword at my throat like what you are doing right now.”

Bearman looked confused, lowering his sword slightly. Brows furrowed together he said, “What are you…?”

Gavin cursed. He should have known. He could understand the human but it wasn’t the same case for the other. He groaned in frustration, unconsciously tugging at his captured hand while his other made gestures to help the human understand. He wasn’t even aware that he now had both hands free as he switched from all the languages he knew, going from creeper to skeleton and even to zombie. But still all he received was a blank look. Getting even more frustrated, he made wilder gestures that caused him to clumsily hit his hand hard against the bed’s headboard, resulting with a yelp of pain from his lips as he quickly cradled his hands.

Bearman suddenly laughed. “Oh shit that was so damn stupid of you!”

Gavin pouted. He had learned all the languages of the woods and yet he could not believe he was actually encountering a language barrier with his own kind. He had long forgotten how to speak man, so he tried the last language he knew, the ancient tongue of the Ender.

_“Stop laughing at me you twat. It’s not my fault you can’t speak creeper or skeleton or—“_

At that moment, his eyes widened as he remembered what the enderman had done to him. Maybe it was because of that that he could understand humans. But communication was a two way thing. Gavin blinked, realization dawning in. Of course! Why didn’t he think of this before?

Pouncing quickly on the still laughing boy who yelped in surprised. He was about to grab his sword but Gavin had already pinned him down in an instant. Growing up in the wild gave him speed as an advantage. After a short struggle, bearman relented into giving him the most murderous gaze he had ever encountered, his brown eyes promising hate, pain, and torture.

“Let me go you little bitch, before I go all Mogar on y—“

Gavin softly sealed his lip with his own, feeling a sharp intake of breath from his angry captor. He noticed how the lips beneath his felt way more pleasant than the enderman’s. He let his lips linger for a bit, feeling a pleasant tingle from them until he felt that thing the enderman planted at the back of his mind bloom.

He looked down at the stunned bearman and smiled, finding the flush of his cheeks a lovely sight for some reason. But his silence was starting to worry him. “Mogar?” he said assuming it was his captor’s name.

Mogar blinked. “W-What?”

Gaving frowned at his confusion. “Mogar. That is your name…isn’t it?” he said unsurely, still not quite used to the words tumbling out of his mouth. It was odd using knowledge that was just dropped off at the front porch of his mind instead of learning it and understanding it by heart.

Bearman coughed. “Uh no. My name is Michael. How did you—Wait! You can speak—“

“Michael,” Gavin said, testing the taste of the name in his mouth. He grinned, “Hi Michael. My name is Gavin.”

 

 

 


	2. Prick

He didn't trust this strange creeper boy with his stupid fucking green eyes and big smile. Especially after he had humiliatingly lost to this sneaky skinny piece of shit and got fucking kissed.

"Micheal," the creeper boy whined his voice irritating with some silly odd accent. "I really don't see the big deal here. It was merely lip to lip contact! I needed to do that to get access to your bloody loud language."

"Are you even listening to yourself?" You're not even saying my name right! It's  _Michael_. Not Mi _coo_. You dumb piece of shit."

"Michael," Gavin said, looking as if he didn't see the problem with how he said it.

" _Michael_ ," Michael growled.

"MICHAEL," Gavin repeated insisting that he was saying it properly.

The red head just sighed in frustration. This guy was going to be the death of him. "Never-fucking-mind. Whatever. Now tell me how you managed to get into Achievement City."

"Achievement City?" Gavin said.

"Yes, this whole damn place is called Achievement City. Now answer the damn question asshole." For some reason none of his angry pissed off words were getting to the creeper boy, as if he was fucking fine with Michael cursing at him every time he opened his goddamn mouth. Michael was impressed to say the least, but not as much as he was pissed.

Gavin, for once since he's met him (since he's been nothing but sunshine and giggles since he woke up), suddenly looked sad. "An enderman teleported me."

Michael blinked. He suspected it last night, suspected that an enderman was involved but he thought Gavin was attacked and the pink orbs that surrounded him were the traces left of the enderman. He didn't expect Gavin to have been  _teleported_  of all things. "Why?" he asked. He watched the creeper boy pout. "They didn't want me anymore." The way he said it made him sound like a sulking child.

"Who's  _they_?"

Gavin sighed. "My friends."

Michael narrowed his eyes at him. He has never heard of an enderman teleporting a human being. Endermen killing men was not something surprising since those creatures hated humans, but actually being teleported? Teleportation was only possible if you use an enderpearl from slaying an enderman. Was Gavin lying to him?

"How do I know you're not some spy sent by some god forsaken village out there to raid our city and steal our goods?" Michael said.

Gavin looked at him in shocked disbelief. "Wha--How could you even come up with such bull? If I came from some shabby village, why would I be bloody half dead sausaging your grounds with my blood in the middle of the night!?"

"Sausaging?" Michael looked confused with his strange use of words before shaking his head, his curls bouncing as he pressed on, "It could've been a trick to get our sympathy."

"Well that wouldn't explain the enderman!"

"Your shabby village could've used a spell on an enderpearl to make it look like an actual enderman teleported you, you lying piece of shit!" he growled. Gavin just stared at him, mouth hanging open after he snapped at him. Was he finally gaining some common sense into fearing Michael? But Gavin just laughed. It was a bubbly squeaky laugh that made Michael want to strangle him as well as laugh along with him.

"Michael," he said in between fits of giggles and coughs from most likely reopening his wounds, "Oh Michael, you're such a pleb!"

"What? What the fuck is a pleb!?" Michael frowned.

"You!" Gavin giggled, pointing at him.

"Did you just make that word up?" He slapped the pointing hand away and glared at him, trying very hard not to crack a smile. God that laugh was contagious. 

"No!"

"Are you fucking sure you're speaking human?" he scoffed.

"Of course I am! I bloody kissed you to be able to smegging communicate with you, you silly donut."

"You don't sound like you're using the right fucking shit. You're making up words that don't mean a goddamn thing! And I still don't forgive you for kissing me."

"What? Michael, don't be such a pissy pot. A kiss doesn't mean anything from where I come from. It's just for communicating. Why, does it mean something to humans? You're the first ever human I've encountered for seven years."

Michael blinked. He was the first...Ah shit. No wonder this stupid creeper boy did it without even thinking about it, because he didn't know the fucking meaning of it. But fuck him if Michael would say something embarrassing as explaining the fucking concept of a kiss to someone with possibly the shortest attention span he has ever met. Gavin's eyes would travel from time to time, the waver, crack, and shift in his attention as easy to read as a damn book.

Michael crossed his arms over his chest, "Nothing," he answered. "You're just retarded."

"I am not you twat."

"God! Shut the fuck up. I liked it better when you were bleeding away on the ground, unconscious. QUIET."

"So you believe me about the enderman thing?"

Michael sighed. "Okay fine. You know, you sound less annoying when you were muttering gibberish with your hissing and clicking earlier," and as soon as the words left Michael, he regretted them, for Gavin grinned like a madman and started talking creeper again.

"Oh my fucking--I'm going to stab you to death if you don't shut up!" he screamed pointing his blade at him.

Gavin continued to talk his ears off happily and Michael’s blood boiled hotter. “I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP GAVIN!”

Gavin tried to contain a few giggles before trying to appease him, not realizing he was still talking creeper. “Talk human dipshit,” Michael groaned. He watched Gavin’s smile start to fade as he continued to speak creeper. He started rambling like mad, frantic clicks and hisses leaving his lips. “Dude, can’t you talk anymore? Don’t tell me you already forgot.”

He suddenly looked at Michael and reached for him. But Michael was startled and stepped away.

“Michael,” Gavin whined, able to say his name but the rest of his words still creeper. He looked at Michael pleadingly. And then Michael understood what he was asking for. Heat rushed to his cheeks and he sputtered. There was no way he was going to let Gavin kiss him again. Especially when he didn’t even know that a kiss was an important sign of love and affection to humans. It wasn’t really because Gavin was unattractive, quite the contrary actually. Those green eyes and voice were damn attractive, but he was doing it to keep the kiss’ sacredness. Bullshit. He just didn’t like how flustered he felt right after the kiss, and how he actually _liked_ it.

Gavin had already got up and had his face in between his palms, face inching closer, their nose almost touching, his face heating up even more. Michael panicked. He started to struggle, trying to push Gavin away but damn he was strong for someone so scrawny. “Gavin, you fuck, don’t—“

“Hey Michael, Geoff wanted me to check on how your little creeper boy is do—“ Ray entered and his jaw dropped.

Gavin looked surprised to see another human being and Michael used that opportunity to push him away. “Thanks man, you saved me.”

“Um, am I interrupting something because I could always come back later,” Ray said hesitantly although there was an obvious underlying tone of amusement in his words.

“Ray, this is Gavin. He’s a retarded idiot who can speak creeper and sometimes uh human,” Michael said after he flashed his friend a glare. He saw Gavin throw him a pout at how he introduced him as a retard. He started hissing and clicking in protest. But Michael waved a hand.

“Gavin,” he said, using a tone that made Gavin go quiet for a while, interest showed in his face. It was as if he actually liked Michael saying his name. Michael fought back an unwanted blush and looked away from the bright expectant look on Gavin’s face. “Gavin, this is Ray. He’s an asshole, but he’s a friend.”

“Hey,” Ray said with an easy smile. He seemed to drop all suspicion he had about Gavin last night, seeing as Michael seemed to have easily let his guard down around the idiot creeper.

Gavin glanced at him and tried to say something but all that came out was hissing and clicking. Michael frowned. “No Gavin. I’m not doing that again.”

Gavin pouted again. He glanced at Ray who was watching the two of them with obvious interest. He smiled at Gavin. “Sorry about Michael, he’s a bitchy little fuck in the morning.”

Gavin smiled at him, letting him know that he agreed. And then, his eyes shined with something different, as if he had a brilliant idea. He stepped towards Ray.

Oh shit.

“Ray he’s—!” Michael tried to warn but it was too late. The Puerto Rican let out a confused sound before Gavin kissed him hard. Ray went rigid in his hold and when Gavin let him go, he had a bright blush that made Michael face-palm. Gavin glanced at him, a smirk on his lips. “I agree with you Ray, Michael’s a prick.”


	3. Regret

“So this is Ryan, Jack, and I’m Geoff,” said the man with the painted arms. Gavin couldn’t stop staring at them. “Uh Michael, I think your creeper boy is broken.”

Geoff raised an arm and Gavin flinched and moved behind Michael. Gavin wasn’t exactly sure about the other humans. Michael sighed. “Gavin, stop being a pussy. You were okay with me, why are you freaking out over the others?”

“That’s because you’re Michael, and you helped me instead of killing me last night,” Gavin said simply, eyes not leaving the other three men in the room.

“What about Ray? You even kissed him,” Michael said.

He glanced at Ray who stood near them and the boy smiled coolly. Ray had a calming aura, one that Gavin felt at ease with. These older three were giving off some suspecting aura. They didn’t know who he was, how he managed to get in to Achievement City without being seen. They gave off the same doubts Michael did when he questioned his story. But Gavin knew Michael never meant the harsh words and threats he said. He wasn’t so sure about the older three though.

“Finally getting some action for you, huh Ray?” smirked Geoff.

“Shut up Geoff,” Ray said.

“Hello,” Gavin said hesitantly, drawing their attention once again. “I’m Gavin.”

“Pleasure to meet you Gavin,” Ryan greeted.

They were gathered in what Michael told him as Geoff’s house. It was a giant rectangular house that had almost nothing in it. Gavin nodded at Ryan and gave him a small smile.

“So, mind explaining why Michael found you half dead in the middle of the logo?” Geoff asked.

“Logo?”

Michael waved a hand dismissively over his question. “He said he was teleported here by an enderman because his friends didn’t want him anymore.”

Jack frowned. “How’d your friends get a hold of an enderman?”

Gavin frowned, confused. “The enderman _is_ one of my friends.”

They all looked at him in disbelief, well, all except for Ray and Michael. Ray had listened to his story before they came to Geoff’s house. He listened and shrugged it all with hardly any questions.

“He seems to have been living with endermen and creepers before he came here,” Michael explained.

“What? That’s impossible! Those things explode the moment you get near them! And endermen are absolutely murderous. How could you have possibly been friends with them? They hate humans more than anything,” Geoff said in disbelief.

Gavin didn’t really know how to tell him off. He wanted to say that endermen and creepers were kind. But he knew just how terrifying they could be. In the end, they were all just the same as the humans.

“He said we’re basically the first human beings he’s encountered in quite a while,” Michael said. “Also, it’s his first time speaking human so don’t be surprised when he makes up words.”

“Michael shut your gob, you donut. I’m not making up words,” he protested.

“Gob?” Jack asked.

“Donut?” Ryan said.

“See?” Michael said.

“They’re real words!” he defended.

“Uh Gav, still not entirely sure how you managed to speak human, but we’re pretty sure that doesn’t mean shit,” Ray said placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Hold on a second,” Geoff said, “Are you saying that you were kicked out of your home in the woods and was just dropped off here?”

“Yup,” Gavin answered. He looked at the door. He didn’t really know how to get back to his former home. The others huddled up to talk about the situation, probably wondering what they should do with him. Heck, even he didn’t know what he should do with himself. He started feeling slightly heavier, his bruised and wounded body already getting tired from all the walking and standing. He kept forgetting that he was, in fact, near death yesterday.

An argument started in the group of men and Gavin heard some distinct words saying that they couldn’t just keep him in their city just like that. And it suddenly struck something he never even thought about. Rejection. Of course they always had that option, and of course they were most likely going to do just that. Gavin wasn’t like them. He didn’t even know how to think like them. Well, even his friends have told him he thinks oddly.

Gavin pulled his scarf even more over his head to cover up more of his face.

Suddenly, Michael came up to him. He had found a certain fondness over looking at his curls but it didn’t compare to the thrill he experienced every time he riled Michael up during the short amount of time since they’ve just met. He gave him a smile. “You could tell the others that I’ll just uh, leave and find my way back to my friends. I don’t want to be a bother.” His own words made him cringe because he _loved_ being a bother.

“What? No, I doubt you can even find your way back in that condition. Geoff says you can stay,” Michael said. He smiled gratefully and gave a thankful nod to Geoff. “You’ll be staying here at Geoff’s house since it’s the largest.”

“Why can’t I stay with you?” he asked.

“Are you kidding me? I don’t want to wake up seeing your stupid face and hearing your annoying voice so early in the morning. Besides, Geoff has an extra bed. I don’t.”

He frowned. He’d rather stay with Michael since he’s known him the most.

“I’d let you stay at my place but there isn’t much room, and it’s made of dirt blocks,” Ray said ruefully as he shot Geoff a look.

“If you hated it so much then rebuild the damn thing,” Geoff laughed.

“Ray, my house is smaller than yours and it’s also made of dirt, you don’t see me complaining,” Ryan commented.

“Is that cow still there?” Jack asked.

“What cow?” Michael and Gavin asked.

“Yeah, it’s still there,” Ryan answered.

“A cow got into his house last night. We couldn’t even get it out,” Jack said.

“Why don’t you just kill it?” Michael asked.

“Because Ryan’s a sick fucker,” Ray said.

“I’ll have milk if I keep him,” Ryan reasoned.

 

 

For the rest of the day, everyone went off to do their daily duties. Gavin was left with Ryan who attended to his wounds and later found himself following Michael around who yelled at him every time and told him to go back and rest since his wounds were still far from being healed. He wanted to bug Ray next but he managed to escape him somehow. Gavin found himself wandering in the middle of the _logo_ as everyone liked to call it. He had refrained from using other languages, deciding to stick to the human tongue. He didn’t like how he easily lost that imaginary dictionary of the human dialect from the enderman the moment he went back to speaking creeper. He had to learn this by heart or else he’d have to kiss one of these guys again. And judging by the way both Michael and Ray reacted to being kissed, he guessed that a kiss had a different meaning to humans.

“How did you paint your arms like that?”

Geoff glanced at him. He was building some kind of harbour by the shore. “I know a guy.”

“What are you doing?”

“Building something for our next game,” Geoff said.

Gavin’s ears perked up. “Game?”

Soon Geoff was telling him stories about the games they played, how Michael and Ray tended to win at first and then suddenly Jack and Ryan were winning in consecutive weeks. He complained about not winning enough even though he as the leader and made the damn courses. Geoff was warming up to him as they spent the entire day talking. He watched Geoff work drunk. “You know Gav, you’re alright for stupid idiot.”

“Thanks, you silly little sausage.” He received a smack in the head.

“So about you being able to talk human so easily, how’d that happen?”

Gavin explained about the enderman, kissing Michael, and the thing he felt in his mind. He asked Geoff about the meaning of a kiss.

Geoff chuckled. “Well no shit Michael would throw a fit. He’s straight as straight can be from what Ray said. He’s been fucking courting this girl from a neighboring village for a week now.”

“Straight? I don’t bloody understand what you’re talking about Geoffrey,” Gavin frowned.

“Well, a kiss is a fucking intimate action. As intimate as dicks can be, creeper boy. Kissing can only be done between two people who love each other,” he explained drunkenly as he placed some items in each of the chests he made.

Gavin looked at him horrified. Creepers and endermen didn’t exactly have a term for the intimate and affectionate actions they do with their mates when in public but he knew those actions were special and reserved only for the person they loved. Suddenly Gavin felt horrible for kissing Michael and Ray. He had to apologize. He knew he could be such a prick sometimes but he would never do something out of line such as that. “Sorry,” he said, letting it roll over his tongue. It had a strange feeling, but it felt right with what he wanted to convey. “Kiss,” now the word sounded different to him since he found out about the meaning. He told himself he’ll go to Michael and Ray before he goes to Ryan to help him with his wounds.

“Look Gavin, don’t sweat it, it’s just—“ Geoff said, and suddenly there was an all too familiar hissing sound. Gavin saw Geoff grab his sword, ready to slay the creature. The creeper was wondering around, and Gavin knew it meant no harm.

“Don’t!” he told Geoff who didn’t listen. “I know you lived with them, but I am not going to let it explode in my face.”

“Please Geoff!” he said standing in front of the man and holding up both arms. The creeper near them was now flickering threateningly, aware of the danger it was in.

Gavin bit his lip. _“Please don’t be frightened,”_ he hissed and clicked. The creeper seemed surprised to hear him speak.

_“Tell your friend to put down the weapon,”_ it said, _“I was just passing through.”_

Gavin placed a hand on Geoff’s. _“Hurry now. We won’t hurt you if you leave.”_

The creeper carefully backed away and left.

Geoff finally lowered his sword and looked at the creeper boy. “I didn’t really believe Michael when he said you spoke creeper but, damn,” he said, “What did the creeper say?”

_“He was just—“_ Gavin cursed. Of course he was going to forget it. He tried to look for the human language in his mind but he couldn’t grasp it. He shot Geoff a look.

“Oh,” Geoff said. It was a good thing he had already explained to him the kissing thing. “So uh, you need—“

Gavin shook his head as if to say there’s no need. He flashed him a smile before heading back to the City.

“Hey Gavin, where’ve you been? Ryan said you weren’t in your fucking bed resting like you were supposed to,” Michael said spotting him as he crossed the logo.

He hissed and clicked in reply out of habit and immediately shut up.

Michael backed up a bit. “Don’t tell me you did it again you stupid idiot?” there was a teasing tone under his words. It was quite strange to feel this at ease with someone he has just met. Especially since Michael didn’t seem like the kind of person who would easily let you bullshit him just like that.

He smiled and shrugged, nothing else to say.

Michael chuckled, “Don’t you dare kiss me again fucker, or I might break your nose.”

Gavin’s smile faded and he approached a surprised Michael in all seriousness. He took his hand to keep him in place and squeezed it gently while saying the words, “Sorry,” he said.

“For what?”

“Kiss. Sorry Michael,” he said before walking away and going to Ryan who scolded him.


	4. Magic

 

 

“GAVIN YOU IDIOT!!!”

It’s already been two weeks since Gavin showed up and the stupid creeper boy has brought nothing but mischief and burning houses.

“I’m sorry Michael!” he yelled as Michael tackled him to the ground. He was laughing and giggling in between shrieks as Michael continued to pin him down.

“That’s right Michael, hold him down!” Jack yelled. It was his house that Gavin seemed to like to burn down to the ground. And even though Gavin ended up having the troublesome task of rebuilding it, that never stopped him from setting it on fire or dumping lava over it.

Michael held both of his wrists as Jack came up to them and held something over the boy’s head, something that made him shriek in fear and start gagging. “That’s right. Burn my house again and I’ll seriously shove this down your throat.

“No! NO!” Gavin wretched and gagged and Michael and the others laughed as Jack resumed assaulting him with the harmless wet bread.

Gavin hissed and clicked in creeper, occasionally saying Jack’s name in his alien sentences. Michael stopped laughing a little, as he heard him talk creeper. Gavin hasn’t spoken any other human words aside from the basic phrases like greetings and their names. He hasn’t even tried to kiss Michael, or Ray, or anyone at all.

“Ugh, I’m getting kind of tired having you speak creeper,” Jack said. “Why don’t you just kiss someone and get it over with?”

Gavin grinned at him and made kissy noises, making Michael and the others snicker.

“Sounds like you’re offering, Jack,” Ray waggled his brows.

“Gross, I’d rather kiss this wet bread than kiss Gavin,” and to that Gavin wretched again much to everyone’s amusement.

“Alright Gavin, start rebuilding the damn thing,” Geoff sighed.

“C’mon,” Michael said offering him a hand. Gavin beamed at him with a great big goofy grin as he took his hand. For some reason unknown to Michael, Gavin seemed to be fond of him. Maybe it was because he was the first person Gavin met among them or whatever, but Michael wasn’t really complaining. The idiot wasn’t that bad. He loved to pull hilarious pranks on everyone but mostly Michael, because, as Michael figured, it must be because he gives him the best reaction, not that he can help it.

“Thanks Michael,” Gavin said grinning from ear to ear. He started talking in creeper again and quieted when he realized he wasn’t going to be understood, his face saddening a little as his eyes cautiously took a quick glance at Michael’s lips. And this did not go unnoticed.

Michael still couldn’t understand why Gavin didn’t even try to force a peck compared to how he practically pinned Michael down the first time. He even refused a kiss from Ray who said he was trying to help him out and was getting tired of not being able to tell what the creeper boy said.

Gavin seemed like he shook off a thought and was back to grinning again. “Michael, help?” he asked as he pointed at Jack’s poor house.

Michael stuck his tongue out. “No way, I already helped you last time. And all you did was to try and pour water over me whenever I’m not looking. Besides, I’ve seen you do this a thousand times. You can finish building this before the sun sets.”

Gavin pouted, making Michael laugh. “X-ray?” Gavin said hopefully at Ray, using the nickname he gave him. “Sure Vav,” Ray answered, “I’ll help you buddy.”

Gavin looked delighted, making Michael frown a little. “Ray you’re spoiling him.”

“Michael, you’re too mean to Vav,” Ray teased. “If you were nicer to him he’d do this to you too.”

“Do what?”

Ray grinned, looking over at Gavin who smiled back at him. The Puerto Rican outstretched his arms and said, “Vav, hug,” to which Gavin crossed his arms and smirked.

Michael snickered. “Wow. Yeah, wish I was nicer to him, huh Ray?”

Ray pouted. “Come on Vav. Don’t be such an ass. Help a guy out here.”

Gavin laughed and launched himself at a surprised Ray, hugging tightly and burying his face in Ray’s neck who laughed and returned the hug, casting a little knowing smile in Michael’s direction who felt his knuckles clench at the sight before him. Damn Ray trying to prove something, something that Michael didn’t like.

Once Gavin released him, Ray smiled and said, “No homo.”

“No homo,” Gavin repeated with a grin as he turned and started rebuilding what he destroyed.

“He said he missed the warmth of the creepers the other day,” Ray told Michael. “And when I told him that humans were very warm too, he asked for proof and I gave him a hug. He wouldn’t let go for a while and I had to ask Geoff to help pry him off. And what do you know, the kid was already asleep.”

“Where was I when that happened?”

“You were still in Ryan’s house, trying to free Edgar,” he shrugged referring to the cow Ryan was keeping in a whole under his house.

“How did you even understand him?” Michael said.

“It was tough, let me tell you that, he had a ton of questions to ask but no one’s really patient enough to try and decode all that hissing stuff.”

“Ray,” Gavin said shoving him some already chopped wood for the rebuilding of Jack’s house.

“Oops sorry, Vav.”

They started working and Michael was pulled away by an impatient Geoff, telling him that he was on water duty. When they came back, Jack’s house was already built, looking as if it wasn’t almost burnt to the ground that morning. “Man, if only Gavin would spend more time being this productive than destructive, that would be fucking great,” Geoff whistled.

Michael looked around and found Ray struggling as he carried Gavin on his back. “What happened?” Michael said, immediately rushing to the two.

“Relax, he just fell asleep.” Ray said, yawning a little. Michael told him to stay put as he rushed to drop off the last bucket of water to refill their water supply. He came back and found Ray barely holding on. He quickly took Gavin and the creeper boy nuzzled his face against his shoulder, causing a bit of heat to rush to his cheeks.

“Sorry man, Vav worked like a madman rebuilding Jack’s house,” Ray said rubbing his shoulders, “Tired me out real good.”

“It’s not the first time he fell asleep like this,” Geoff commented as he came to look at Jack’s house. “I once found him under my bed, sleeping like the dead.”

“What was he doing under there?” Ray asked.

“Fuck if I know,” Geoff shrugged. He turned to Michael who was adjusting Gavin in his arms. “Mind if he stays with you? Jack’s sleeping over at my place since I’m sure Gavin wasn’t able to remake his bed.”

“Why me?” Michael sputtered.

“Unless you want Ryan to put Gavin with Edgar,” Geoff said.

“What about Ray?” Michael said, to which a loud, “YOLO!” was heard as well as the slamming and locking of a door.

Michael groaned, “Fine.”

He went back to his house, dumping Gavin on his bed. He contemplated on taking a bath. He poked the creeper boy a bit and knew that Gavin wasn’t waking up any time soon. He went to his room and started filling up the water. Ever since Ryan figured out a way to use redstone to wire up some shit and distribute water to each of their houses, worrying about monsters biting their naked asses was never a problem again. Now they only had to refill their water supply until Ryan builds something so that they would just directly take water from the waterbeds nearby.

He went to get some clothes and went off to take a bath. The moment he came back, he saw Gavin was awake, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, wondering where he was.

“Hey Gav,” he greeted. He got a sleepy “Micool?” in return. He went to his chest and toof out a fresh change of clothes for Gavin. Tossing them at the creeper boy he said, “Change into those, I don’t want you sleeping in my bed wearing dirty shit.”

Gavin nodded and started removing his clothes in front of him, startling Michael who turned away with red cheeks. He was cursing himself for getting flustered because it was _just_ Gavin.

When he heard Gavin trying to call his attention he turned and found him already done changing, struggling to say something. It was getting harder and harder to communicate when there were so many things Gavin seemed to want to know about and wanted to say. Michael wasn’t exactly known for his patience and dealing with Gavin definitely needed that. “Look, just kiss me already so we can actually have a proper conversation? I’m really getting sick and tired of playing guess the shit Gavin’s saying.”

Gavin stopped talking and shook his head, heat rising to his cheeks, making Michael flush as well. God that was awkward. “Gavin, let’s just get it over with,” he groaned.

Gavin looked at him, studied him with searching green eyes. Michael felt even more embarrassed. “Look just do it ok? I’m really ok with it,” he snapped.

Gavin looked hesitant. He was silent for a long painful moment until a look of pain flickered in his expression soon replaced by a soft gentle expression. “Okay.”

Michael was actually surprised. Gavin stepped closer. The look on his face was nothing like the first time he was going to kiss Michael. His expression was soft, calm, and serious. He leaned closer, Michel staying as still as humanly possible. His eyes closed naturally when Gavin was just an inch away from him, his breath ghosting over Michael’s lips.

 

When it finally happened, Michael noticed how different it felt. It was like the kiss they were sharing right now held something heavier, deeper, like it was just a kiss of convenience. Gavin’s lips were soft, they felt nice and they moved so gently against his. They lingered for a bit before it was done. Michael opened his eyes to see Gavin staring at him a small smile on his face. “Hi.”

It was much like the very first time he was able to speak human. Michael just nodded. He wasn’t aware of how close they still were until Gavin brought his hands up to his face. Startled, he attempted to move back when Gavin pulled off his glasses. “I’ve always wanted to ask what these are,” said the creeper boy, looking at it curiously. He was speaking human again, much to Michael’s relief. His words were heavily laced with that strange accent again.

“They’re glasses. My eye sight isn’t very good so I need them to see clearly,” he answered. Gavin stared at him and tilted his head. “So that’s what they were.”

“Yeah, now give them back,” he huffed, reaching for them. Gavin moved them away with a grin. “Let me.” Not really having much of a choice, he stopped reaching for them and let him move, closing his eyes automatically as Gavin placed his glasses on him. Once he felt the familiar metallic things settle by his ears, he opened his eyes and blinked a few times.

He watched as Gavin turned away and sat on his bed. Michael followed, finally asking the question that’s been bugging him for ages. “Why have you been refusing to kiss anyone?”

Gavin sighed, knowing that the question would come. “Because a kiss is something humans do to express their love. I didn’t want to be a bloody minge casually doing it when it really important for you people.”

“Dude, _that’s_ why you’ve been saying no?” he snickered. “Almost everyone wouldn’t really have minded just to get you to stop hissing and clicking like a fucking creeper. You know how many times they almost killed you for sounding like that?”

Gavin chuckled. “Geoff has more than once almost stabbed me in the face whenever I tried to wake his bloody arse up.” Gavin’s face looked a bit sad. “My friends are very territorial with their mates and when I heard that Ryan, Geoff, and Jack had partners, then I just shouldn’t even think about it. Ray offered but he’s courting someone.”

“What about me? You didn’t try to kiss me,” Michael asked.

“You’re courting that girl Lindsay, remember?”

“Oh.” Michael suddenly felt strange hearing Gavin say her name. Lindsay was a close friend of Michael’s. She was really cool and recently they’ve been thinking of seeing each other as more than friends. But now, Michael noticed, he hasn’t visited her since Gavin arrived. Hell, he hasn’t even thought of her. And that shook Michael quite a bit. “I’m not exactly courting her,” Michael muttered. “Who told you that?”

“Geoff,” Gavin said simply. “Hey,” he suddenly said, perking up a bit.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think Geoff would let me play the next games with you guys? I mean, I’m always left to watch you guys sausaging around looking like you’re having a smegging blast. I want to play.”

Michael laughed. “Ask Geoff next time then. I’m sure he’ll agree.”

“You really think so?” Gavin beamed in delight.

“Sure. It’s better than you sneaking around the course he builds, trying to wreck his hard work and ruin the game or having us coming back to Achievement City with Jack’s house burning again,” Michael smirked. “Why do you keep burning stuff?”

“It’s top!”

“I don’t know what that means. Where do you get those shitty words of yours?”

“They’re real words Michael,” Gavin said rolling his eyes. “You’re just being a mong.”

“What the fuck is a mong?” Michael said. “I swear, that enderman that helped you understand us fellow humans gave you a retarded vocabulary.”

“Don’t insult my friend.” Gavin huffed. “He may be an enderman, but he’s friendly. He’s a friendly enderman. A frienderman.”

Michael burst into laughter. “A frienderman. Seriously?” He clutched his stomach, tears of mirth forming in the corners of his eyes as he continued to laugh. “You are such an idiot.”

“Stop laughing Michael! It’s not funny!”

“Micooo~” Michael mocked.

“You’re a prick.” Gavin grinned, shoving at Michael who fought back eagerly. They ended up wrestling on the bed with Michael sitting on Gavin’s stomach. “Michael get off me you mingy little prick!”

“Admit defeat to the mighty Mogar you piece of shit,” Michael smiled.

“No. Get your fat arse off me or I’ll…” Gavin stopped, trying to think of a threat.

“Or what?” Michael challenged.

Gavin, having thought of nothing, said, “I’ll spit on you!”

Michael smirked. “You don’t have the balls to—“

Gavin spit on him.

Shocked and caught off guard, Gavin had already slipped away when he exploded in rage. “GAVIN YOU FUCK! GET BACK HERE!”

A high pitched giddy scream was heard as he ran outside, forgetting one of the most basic rule in the city, and that was to never go out once night comes.

“Wait Gavin!” Michael said regaining his senses from their playful fight, enough to realize that Gavin could get in trouble.

Gavin was already out the door, still laughing like an idiot. He disappeared into the darkness and Michael panicked. “Gavin!”

He rushed out with his sword. The others would probably be up by now with all the noise he and Gavin had made. The torches of the city illuminated each of their houses, but there was no sight of Gavin. “Gavin!” he yelled again.

He saw Ray open his door, a weapon in hand, “Michael? What the fuck is going on?”

“Gavin he—“

“Michael, Zombie!”

Michael turned around too late, and the zombie almost bit of his face if it didn’t burst into flames, making terrible sounds of pain. There were more of them around and Michael beheaded some, still confused as to what had happened when he spotted Gavin with a glowing bow. He started shooting each enemy right in the middle of their heads with amazing precision, each shot perfect until there were no zombies left. Ray, who had come to help, stood in shock and amazement. The others had emerged from their houses in time to see their supposedly stupid creeper boy finish off the last zombie.

Gavin rushed to Michael who realized that he was gaping at Gavin. “Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, are you alright?”

“Where’d you get that bow?” was what Michael said instead of answering.

“More importantly, why are you fuckers outside!?” Geoff said. “You know the damn rules!”

“Sorry Geoff. Gav and I were just playing,” Michael said. “He ran out and forgot about—“

“I’m sorry Geoff,” Gavin said. “I won’t do it again.” The look on Gavin’s face made Geoff’s expression soften a little before he grunted and ordered everyone to go back to sleep. “We’ll talk about this in the morning.” Hardly anyone took note of the fact that Gavin could talk again, but Michael saw Ray wearing a knowing smirk before he, like everyone else, went back to their own houses.


	5. Drunk

 

 

The moment Michael stepped inside his house with Gavin behind him was the moment the questions were supposed to start to fire. But when Michael looked back at Gavin to question him about his bow, Gavin’s hands were empty.

“Where..?” he said looking at him with searching eyes.

Gavin tilted his head.

“The bow! Where’d it go?”

In answer to his question, Gavin held out his hand and drew the bow out of thin air. “You mean this?”

Michael’s eyes widened. “How did you do that?”

Gavin grinned. “Top, isn’t it?” He conjured up an arrow and held it with such ease that Michael couldn’t believe it was the same Gavin who had been goofily and clumsily playing pranks on everyone. “It was a gift from a skeleton I saved around three years ago,” he explained. “Poor thing had wondered into the endermen’s territory. The endermen all wanted to kill him but I talked them out of it while I was relaxing as a guest in their home. Turns out the skeleton was separated from his friends and got lost. I escorted him out of the endermen’s place and helped him find his way back to their territory. Charming fellow. Has a bloody good humor too. Anyway, he made me an enchanted bow with unlimited arrows to show his gratitude and also because he noticed that I didn’t have a single weapon on me.”

Michael couldn’t quite wrap his mind around a skeleton that was charming and had good humor. “You mean, you didn’t carry weapons until he gave you that bow? How the hell did you survive so long?”

Gavin frowned a little. “I was surrounded by friends, and whenever I faced danger, I would simply escape or talk to them. The woods isn’t as scary of a place than you make it to be my little Michael. And being able to speak their language lowers their uh urge to kill all humans I guess?”

“That skeleton didn’t even think about how you could use it against his kind?”

“Michael,” Gavin scolded. “I saved him from a lot of things while I helped him find his way back too you know. I think I’ve proven myself to be someone trustworthy enough to be given an awesome bow.”

“Gavin,” Michael copied his tone, rolling his eyes. He noticed the scarf Gavin still wore around his neck. “Is that scarf also a gift? Because I can’t imagine you skinning a creeper.”

Gavin looked absolutely horrified at the idea before his face settled on a sad expression. “Yeah. It’s an important gift.”

Michael got the hint. He knew not to ask into it. And just when Michael thought about actually giving Gavin some consideration, the fucking boy just grinned and threw himself back on his bed. “You sleep on the couch.”

“Excuse me?” Michael sputtered in disbelief. “It’s my fucking bed!”

“Well I’m your guest! And from what I’ve learned about human manners, you let the guest have what they bloody want!”

“Where the fuck did you learn that bullshit? Because it’s fucking wrong! Sure the host has to honor the guest but the guest is the one trespassing and should know their place and show respect. What you’re giving me is bullshit and I’m not fucking having any of it. You sleep on the fucking chair or floor. Whatever. I’m taking my bed and I’m going to sleep like a motherfucking baby while you—“

“Don’t be such a pleb Michael!” Gavin said. “Ryan said—“

“Why the fuck is Ryan the one teaching you human shit?”

“Because Geoff doesn’t want to. He said he deals with my nightly blabber already and that someone else should teach me. Jack and Ryan take turns!”

“What about Ray?”

Gavin tilted his head. “Didn’t turn out so well. He told me some stuff about the human genitals and Geoff freaked out when—well…Ray wasn’t teaching me good things.”

“I can actually imagine,” Michael grunted. “Now move your ass out of my bed. I’m going to sleep.”

“But Michael! It’s uncomfortable on the ground or on that smegging chair!”

“God! Shut the fuck up already!” Michael gritted his teeth, rolling his eyes as Gavin pouted when he was shoved off the bed.

“Michael!”

“You’re such a whiny little bitch,” Michael complained.

“I wouldn’t be complaining so much if you would stop being such a stupid little smegpot and let me have the bed,” Gavin countered, crossing his arms.

Michael rolled his eyes and pulled the blankets over him, deciding to just fall asleep and ignore the whiny guest.

After an amount of nonstop mumbling and grumbling, Michael finally heard the sweet sound of silence…which made him suspicious. Had Gavin really fallen asleep?

His suspicions were correct when something slivered under his blankets and attached itself to him. The body was warm, arms circling around his waist, legs locking on one of his. Heat rushed to his face when he felt the idiot nuzzle against his shoulder.

Gavin knew his fondness for the red head was strange, but he couldn’t help it. He was a ball of so much energy, and watching his rage build up and snap just like that while his eyes screamed murder was just so exhilarating to Gavin. He reminded him of the creepers that he pissed off. But Michael was still so different. He laughed and smiled just as much as he screamed and yelled. And even though Gavin knew he tired him so much by being the most annoying prick in the world, Michael wouldn’t hold a grudge and would still be nice to him (sorta).

Just like right now, Gavin was waiting for Michael to shove him off onto the floor, yell at him and call him those creative insults that hold no actual venom in them. But Michael was quiet. It wasn’t until the boy shifted that Gavin was sure he was still awake.

Gavin waited a bit more, nuzzling into his shoulder all the while until he elicited a half irritated groan. “Clingy bitch,” he heard Michael mutter under his breath. Gavin chuckled, delighted that he wasn’t going to get pushed off.

“My little Michael,” Gavin coos.

“Stupid.” Gavin could sense the grin in his tone.

 

 

 

 

The following morning, Geoff scolded them real good for waking everyone up at an ungodly hour of the night and causing trouble with the zombies.

Ray asked Gavin about the bow and Gavin grinned and happily showed them, telling them what he basically told Michael the night before.

“You know it’s still quite difficult to believe your stories,” Ryan said simply.

“Probably because they sound insane,” Jack said.

“Hey!” Gavin said. “X-ray help me out here.”

Ray wasn’t paying attention and decided to pop the question whose answer was already obvious to everyone. “So, Gav, how come you’re back to talking like a human being?”

Smirks and knowing grins were thrown everywhere and Michael who was quietly cooking some pork stiffened for a second before glaring at everyone. “Shut the fuck up. All of you. I know everyone was tired of not being able to communicate properly with the stinkin’ moron. I did you a fucking favor.”

“Don’t you mean, you did _yourself_ a favor?” Geoff snickered.

Michael blushed and glared viciously at the lot. Gavin flashed a quick apologetic smile, only to be ignored. Michael was still pretty flustered by the state he found himself in the moment he woke up because it wasn’t Gavin who was clinging to him like a bitch, it was the other way around.

Gavin wasn’t really sure how to apologize to Michael. He wasn’t even sure about what he did to anger him. He just woke up alone in Michael’s bed and had the boy himself come barging back into his house to glare at him with a red face.

So instead, he tried changing the subject. “Geoff, I wanna play the games!”

“What?” Geoff said, pausing from teasing Michael. “You want to what?”

“I want to play!” Gavin beamed.

“No way! I am not letting you go near one of the courses ever again. Do you remember what you did to—“

“But that was because I was bored!” Gavin protested. “C’mon mate, I wanna be part of the bloody fun!”

Geoff looked at him skeptically. “Promise me something first.”

Gavin’s eyes glowed and he grinned. “Anything!”

“You have to build the next courses with me,” Geoff said.

“What?” Gavin said.

“You heard me. You’re going to build those troublesome game courses with me from now on,” Geoff smirked. “You’re going to suffer with me.”

Gavin wondered why Geoff made it sound like a threat. It didn’t sound so bad. It actually sounded fun. “Okay?”

Geoff grinned like a madman. It was like he was glad Gavin was underestimating the promise he just made.

“Alright then!” Geoff smirked. He took Gavin by the scarf and started dragging him away. “Michael!” Gavin immediately shouted, reaching for the other boy. Automatically, Michael stood to follow, mostly out of habit and curiosity as to why Gavin wanted him to come with them.

“No. Michael, you stay there. All of you stay. You know the rules. No one goes anywhere near the game course while I’m building it.” Geoff cast narrowed eyes at Ray and Gavin guessed that Ray must’ve snuck up on him more than once.

“But Michael,” Gavin insisted, eyes pleading to Geoff. Michael was the one told him to go ask Geoff, it only felt right that he should come as well, he thought. But before Geoff could say anything Michael was already shaking his head. “Sorry boy, can’t. Geoff’s right. Now stop whining and go already.”

Gavin pouted, but relented nonetheless.

Building the course proved to be…absolute hell. Gavin’s brain hurt just by thinking about it. Geoff seemed a lot chipper, having someone along in the torture.

“I can’t believe you’ve been doing this alone all this time Geoffrey,” Gavin groaned as he made a mistake and started recounting the miscalculation in the course’s floor pattern. Again.

“Yep,” Geoff said, popping the _p_. He drank from a couple of bottles and started wobbling while he did his work. At one point he even gave Gavin some, explaining what they were and what they did to people who drink’em.

“So what did you do before you were brought here?” Geoff asked while Gavin downed the last of his bottle. He felt strangely light, his mind feeling off as well as his balance. “Y’know, I go exploring here and there, play some uh stuff with my buddies and uh –hic- build stuff,” he finished his reply with a burp.

“Sounds boring,” Geoff commented. Gavin thought about it and wanted to disagree. He had a ton of fun with his friends, but he didn’t have as much fun with them as he did with Michael and the others. There was always just this something that drew him apart from his old friends making it difficult to connect the way he did with everyone at Achievement City.

“Did you set anyone’s house on fire back then?”

Gavin grinned, “Once. But then things got really out of hand so I didn’t dare do it again.” He climbed up to continue working, asking Geoff the mechanics of the new game. It was hard to believe that he had so quickly adjusted to being with humans. Sure he absolutely missed the home he had back then. Thinking back to his little underground place, he wondered if he would ever get to see it again. Maybe he could go and try finding it some time. And when he’s found it, maybe he could bring Michael with him! He could show Michael all his paintings, his weapons, the things he’s crafted over the years.

Gavin smiled. He missed his little place. It’s true he never really built a house before, but his place could hardly be considered anything like the ones Michael and Jack lived in. It was more like a cave with a bit of interior decorating.

“Hey Geoff,” he said the moment they finished. “Can I have these leftover materials?”

“What? Uh sure, but what for?”

“I want to build a house, my house.”

Geoff smiled, “Sure buddy.”

They headed back to Achievement City. It was two hours before the sun set and Gavin got started on his new project. Geoff said he was too beat to help and just tossed him two more bottles of beer before he left him. Ray and Michael had gone hunting while Ryan and Jack were checking around the city. Gavin had never really ventured far from the logo apart from watching the guys play, so he wasn’t very familiar with the other areas of Achievement City. He knew there was someone named Caleb and Kerry somewhere around, but he’s never really seen them.

Gavin was working hard on his new house. But after emptying the stuff Geoff gave him…everything blurred.

 

 

“So, he’ll be in our team right?” Ray said as they threaded through the woods on their way back to the city.

“I think so,” Michael said. “I mean, Geoff, Ryan, and Jack has this fucking unspoken agreement about being a team because they’re the older bunch. It’s about fucking time we earned another team member around our age. Gavin evens out the numbers.”

“Absolutely,” Ray grinned. “So…you and Gavin…”

Michael almost tripped but he kept a straight face. “Don’t fucking start Ray.”

“I’m not,” Ray chuckled. “Just saying that you guys look good together.”

“Ray—“ Michael growled but stopped when he something gleam a yellow brightness near Geoff’s house.

“Is that Vav?” Ray said. They hurried and approached the tower of gold right next to a strange stone house.

“Heeeeey guys,” Gavin greeted, his strange accent thicker.

Michael narrowed his eyes. “Are you drunk?”

“Maybe,” Gavin giggled as he stood on top of the tower. He wobbled in place.

“Whoa, easy there Gav,” Michael said, immediately placing his game on the ground and holding both arms up just in case Gavin fell. “You idiot, get down from up there before you fucking fall and break your goddamn nose.”

Gavin snickered, snorted and started giggling. “I’ve just erected the Tower of Pimps!”

“The what now?” Ray mused.

“What’s going on?” Ryan asked as he and Jack arrived.

“Gavin’s being an idiot!” Michael muttered.

“And he’s drunk,” Ray added.

“Kneel down bitches!” Gavin wailed, swaying on top.

“How’d he get drunk?” Jack wondered.

“Oh hey! You finished your house Gavin!” Geoff said cheerfully. Everyone looked at him. “Well, that explains it,” Jack sighed.

“Geoff! Why’d you go and get Gavin drunk!”

“Worship me sluts!” Gavin laughed.

“What? He was getting stressed out with being new to the course building thing so I loosened him up. Look how happy he is,” Geoff said.

“Not for long. Gavin will soon be introduced to the sweet morning of a hangover,” Ryan mused.

“Get him down from up there,” Jack said.

“How?” Michael muttered.

“Gavin, I can’t believe this is what you did to the gold.”

“Hey Vav!” Ray called. Gavin gazed drunkenly at him with a smile, “Wot is it X-ray?”

“Michael wishes to serve you,” he said, earning raised brows and knowing smiles. “What the fuck are you talking about?” Michael hissed, but he was simply ignored.

“My little Michael?” Gavin practically cooed as he plopped down on his stomach on top of the tower, his limbs dangling in the air as he smiled.

Michael blushed at his words and scowled at Ray, “What the fuck are you planning?”

“Relax dude. I’m trying to get him down from up there,” Ray answered. “Now, get ready to catch him.” Michael nodded. Geoff and the others picked up on the plan and he called up to Gavin, “Hey Gavin, little buddy, if you jump down, your ‘little Michael’ will give you a great big hug!”

“What!?”

“Just go with it,” Jack said.

Gavin’s slow little brain seemed to start to register what they were telling him and his face lit up. “Mikey Wikey!” he giggled and started to stand up only to trip on his own two feet and fall. Everyone panicked and held out their arms.

Michael hurried to catch him only to fail. Gavin landed in Ryan’s arms.

“Michael?” Gavin slurred.

“Can I put him in a hole?” Ryan smirked.

Gavin realized that it wasn’t Michael holding him and looked up, seeing Ryan’s face. “No,” he mumbled, “Not Ryan,” he whined making everyone laugh. Everyone except Michael. Gavin’s eyes searched for the red head and outstretched his arms when he found them. “Micooooo.”

Michael’s sourness at not being the one to catch the creeper boy lightened at the sight. “Idiot. It’s your fault for tripping.” Ryan put him down and Gavin quickly attached himself to Michael. That caused a number of teasing on their part, but Michael didn’t really mind because Gavin started singing some stupid silly song in his ear.


	6. Mavin

 

 

Gavin stared at the new course he and Geoff had just built. He was very excited. It was the very first time he was going to play with everyone else. “Hey Geoff?” he asked.

“Yeah?” came the reply as Geoff started placing some of the finishing touches after fixing what some random creeper blew up.

“Do all humans play games like you and the other chaps do? Do others build these top courses and make their own rules as well?” he asked as he played with the bucket of lava while sitting on top of the tower much like the one he drunkenly created.

“Yeah, sure, people love playing games. But I’m sure none of their games are as _top_ as ours,” the man chuckled, using the word Gavin liked to use for things he considered amazing, great, or awesome.

Gavin grinned. “So I’ll be playing against you old lot?” he asked.

“Shut up you douche. We’re not really that old. Jack, Ryan, and I are on Team Gents. You’re a brat so you’re with the babies.”

“We’re not babies you mong,” laughed Gavin. “We’re lads! Team Lads!”

Geoff laughed, tossing one of the useless wooden signs in the air. He wasn’t really expecting anything to happen, but Gavin just couldn’t resist. He drew out his bow, with a grace and speed that the others wouldn’t ever believe he possessed unless they saw it from their own to eyes, and shot an arrow slicing through the air with deadly whistle before destroying the sign and having it burst into flames.

Gavin grinned and yelled, “MARK NUTT!!!”

Geoff just stared wide eyed in shock at the creeper boy. “How the fuck did you do that?” He had seen the kid use the bow on the zombies nights before and he still thought he had just imagined it. Gavin wasn’t exactly the most graceful human being (possibly the clumsiest in fact), so seeing him whip out that bow and draw the string with such ease was just not connecting with the Gavin he knew.

Gavin shrugged after his jolly little dance. “I just shot it.”

Geoff couldn’t argue with that so instead he asked. “Who in the world is Mark Nutt?”

Gavin grinned, “He’s some great archer of the lands.”

“Never heard of him,” Geoff said shaking his head with a slight smile. “So this guy was human? I thought you didn’t know other people. Can’t imagine creepers telling you stories about the kind they despised the most.”

Gavin’s face fell. It literally changed from his goofy grin to a quiet and sad look. “A friend told me.”

Geoff felt Gavin try to close in on himself, like in any moment he would just run away or curl into a ball. He decided not to pry. “Hey, it’s alright buddy. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” he said, giving the kid a reassuring smile.

Gavin managed to give him a small smile in return but even then it wasn’t the same. But after a few more hours of polishing the new course, Geoff was able to get Gavin back to his regular clumsy prankster self.

They returned to the city early and Gavin went off to fix his house, passing by the golden tower he made the previous night. His head hurt terribly when he woke up, but he loved the feeling that took over him after he drank with Geoff.

“Hey Gavin, Jack just finished making your bed.” Gavin turned around to find Michael in his usual bearskin clothing, his diamond sword sheathed at his side. His curls were a mess and his glasses were sitting crookedly on the bridge of his nose.

“What happened to you?”

He was answered with a shrug, “Chores. So, you need help with the bed or not?”

Gavin grinned. “Yeah, I appreciate the offer.” They went to Jack’s place and brought Gavin’s bed to his new house. “Nice work you’ve done here,” Michael noted, looking around. Gavin had a few paintings hanging all over his walls. “Where’d you get all of these paintings?” Michael was staring at the beautiful pictures framed and scattered all over his walls. Gavin smiled and told him that he did them all whenever they were out playing games.

“Where’d you get the paint?”

He shrugged. “Made them.”

“I’ve never seen you paint,” Michael said staring at him curiously.

Gavin flashed him a cheeky smile. “That’s because whenever you lads are coming back, I’ll just stow them away in favor of trolling the lot of you.”

“You little prick.”

He laughed and sat on his bed. An idea came to him while Michael studied his paintings.

“Hey Michael,” Gavin said, grabbing another canvas piece he crafted from the weeks of his stay.

“Yeah?” replied Michael, glancing at him.

“Can I paint you?” Gavin said excitedly. He always painted his ender and creeper friends, and they always seemed quite delighted when they see their pictures framed on his walls back in his old underground hall.

“What, me?” Michael asked, surprised. “Why?”

“You were the first friend I’ve ever made here,” Gavin shrugged. He also couldn’t wait to paint those ginger curls.

Michael raised a brow and shrugged. “Okay then.” Gavin beamed and started taking out his buckets of paint. Michael stood awkwardly, not really understanding what he was supposed to do.

“Just stand still and position your diamond sword in any way you like,” Gavin told him.

Michael did as he was told and was about to put his hood on but Gavin strongly scolded him for it. “Why can’t I put on my hood?” he mumbled.

“Just don’t you sausage,” Gavin said frowning as he set up his stuff.

“Fine fine,” Michael muttered.

Gavin got to painting him and Michael watched his expression turn into that rare seriousness that looked so foreign on his usually goofy face. Michael’s lips twitched into a small smile when he took note of the other’s wild hair.

The smile didn’t go unnoticed and Gavin’s eyes met his in a silent question. Instead of answering, Michael just stuck his tongue out, making Gavin giggle in response.

It was quiet for a while. Michael’s legs were itching to move. He’d been shifting from one leg to another and had been trying to hold his pose. “It won’t take long now. Just a few more minutes lad,” Gavin assured him.

“If that doesn’t look like me, I’ll beat you to death,” Michael told him impatiently.

Gavin laughed. “Who ever said I was going to show it to you?” he teased.

Michael’s eyes widened. “What!? Of course you’re going to fucking show me! I didn’t fucking stand here for 5 hours just so you could paint me a shitty picture that you won’t even let me fucking see!”

“It’s only been an hour and a half Michael,” Gavin chuckled.

“I don’t care,” Michael huffed. He was so tempted to move and look at the painting. He knew Gavin was good. The paintings currently surrounding them were enough proof of that. Michael had been staring at them (and Gavin) the whole time he wasn’t allowed to move.

“Since when have you been doing this anyway?” he asked.

“Since I discovered dyes. But if you’re referring to when I bloody moved here, then it was during the first time you all went and faffed about with your games, telling me to stay. I looked for some dyes, wasn’t all that hard to find, and Geoff had some stocked in some chests under his house for some reason. I painted down there while you were all away.”

“So that’s where you’d disappear!” Michael said. “I thought you were just sleeping in my house or being Gavin somewhere else.”

“I did sleep in your bed after I finished painting.”

“I knew it,” Michael said narrowing his eyes.

Gavin shrugged. “I like your scent. Ray’s room is too rosy for me, Geoff’s is too…I smell a lot of beer. Jack… I’m not comfortable in his bed. And Ryan…Edgar just creeps me out.” He shuddered, thinking about that cow staring at him from that hole Ryan made for it.

Michael was blushing a bit, “Well now you have your own bed. So stop fucking using my bed. You’ll get your shit all over it.”

“Michael! I would never take a dump in your smegging bed, you knob,” Gavin snickered.

“Again with your fucked up language,” Michael groaned, rolling his eyes. “Are you sure I don’t have to kiss you again to get your fucking words straight?”

At that both of them immediately got quiet, an awkward silence hanging heavily in the air as the two tried to figure out what to say to the other.

Michael couldn’t believe what he had just said. He didn’t even know why he said that. It was like he had forgotten…forgotten that he was undeniably attracted to this stupid creeper boy, because for a moment there, they were just having their usual childish banter. He wanted to yell at him, to hide his embarrassment, and he wanted to take back the words.

“Michael.”

Hearing his name brought Michael back to his senses. Gavin was now standing in front of him, the canvas at hand. He gave him his usual smile, as if that very awkward silence hadn’t just happened.

“You can move now. I’m finished.” Gavin handed him the canvas shyly.

“Oh uh.” He didn’t know what to say but instead stretched his limbs, suddenly realizing how stiff he had become. He took the canvas and his eyes widened.

He was standing in the painting, not in a stupid exhausted way he felt and thought he would look like but the Michael in the painting had a grin on his face, lips caught moving as if he was saying some shit at Gavin. His curls were a mess and so were his dirty clothing. But the diamond sword was perfect and solid. And the painting showed him standing there talking or teasing Gavin while loosely holding his sword in his hand.

“Wow…” he murmured. He glanced at Gavin and saw him inflate with pride, making him want to tease the creeper boy. “Gavin, I look great. You managed to capture my awesomeness. I wish I could paint you too but then that wouldn’t be fair.”

Gavin looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“You’d be standing here for hours before I even finish your huge fucking nose.”

“Michael!” Gavin pouted. “My nose isn’t that big!”

“It’s huge, dumbass,” Michael laughed, glad that the awkwardness disappeared.

Gavin laughed with him. Michael liked Gavin’s laugh. It was squeaky and he made these strange high-pitched noises too.

“Guys.”

They turned to see Ray by the door. “I knocked,” he said as he entered. “I’ve been wondering where the hell you guys were when I heard some fun. Are you guys partying without me? I thought we were a team.”

“Team Lads!” Gavin exclaimed. Ray opened his arms and Gavin caught the signal. He launched himself at the Puerto Rican and hugged him. Ray chuckled. “Yeah, nice name by the way. Geoff had just told me about it,” he said against Gavin’s shoulder.

Michael was caught off guard by the strong wave of jealousy that coursed through him. Before he knew what he was doing, he had ripped Gavin off of Ray who didn’t look that surprised.

“Michael no,” Gavin said. “I wasn’t done with X-Ray yet.”

“No worries Vav,” Ray said smirking at Michael, “Michael just wants a hug as well.”

Gavin’s eyes widened comically. “You do? Why didn’t you bloody say so!”

“No I—“

Gavin didn’t understand. He didn’t understand that hugs were intimate as well. Ray enjoyed the affection because that wouldn’t really mean anything to him, but Michael was different. He didn’t do hugs. Not unless he wanted to hold someone that way or be held…

Gavin was about to embrace him, to wrap him into a tight comfy hug when Ray, the fucking cocksucker, pulled Gavin aside and said, “Is that Michael?”

Gavin transferred his attention back to Ray who was staring at the painting, looking quite impressed. “Yeah, it is.”

“Sweet. You should paint me next,” Ray joked monotonously, but he was clearly surprised by Gavin’s unexpected talent much like Michael was.

“You wouldn’t want to,” Michael muttered. “He won’t let you move for hours until he’s done.”

“Michael, I keep bloody tellin’ you, it was only an hour and a half!” Gavin said rolling his eyes.

“I wouldn’t mind,” Ray shrugged. “More X-Ray and Vav time.”

Michael stared at the two as they talked more about Gavin’s talent. They easily got along. Ray was nice to Gavin and Gavin trusted Ray. Sometimes, Michael thought Gavin was closer to Ray than he was. During their hunts, or whenever Gavin would tag along, Ray was the one to go back for him, to help him out, and Michael would see them coming back with Ray holding Gavin’s hand. Michael knew it was just to keep creeper boy from wandering around and losing them but it made Michael’s stomach clench unpleasantly.

Michael snapped out of his own thoughts when he felt someone staring at him. It was Ray. But before he could voice out his question, he turned back to Gavin.

“Vav, can I borrow Michael for a while?”

“Can I come?” Gavin asked.

Ray shook his head, “No. You gotta paint me my rose first.”

Gavin pouted. “Bollocks. Fine, I’ll go paint your bloody rose.”

Michael followed Ray out and they went into his dirt house. “So…” Ray started, glancing at Michael with a knowing look, “Gavin…”

Michael looked at him, not quite getting what he was saying.

“You’ve got a boner for him,” Ray said grinning.

Michael knew he didn’t mean an actual boner but it took all his might not to look down and check. “I do not.”

Ray sighed, “Geez man, it’s the most obvious thing in the world. I half thought you were going to rip my head off when Vav and I were hugging.”

“I…” Michael’s cheeks had gone red.

“Look,” Ray said crossing the room to stand right in front of him, “Vav knows nothing about how humans flirt. He doesn’t even understand the intimacy of physical contact. The only thing he remotely understands is what kissing means. You’re going to need help if you want to get into his pants.”

“Piss off Ray. I don’t…” Michael had no idea what to say. Ray was calling him out on his feelings for Gavin and he hadn’t even clearly admitted anything to himself. Ray was looking at him now, daring him to deny it. He sighed in defeat. “Yeah, yeah, fuck you. I fucking like Gavin alright? Happy, you stupid piece of shit?”

Ray smiled. “About time.”

“What do you mean about time? He’s only been here for less than a month! And I already like him.”

Ray raised a brow. “That was more than enough time.”

“Whatever,” Michael growled. “God I hate you right now.” He felt quite flustered and frustrated at the moment. “What am I going to do?”

Ray smiled. “You’ll have to be patient with him.”

“I don’t even know if he’s into dudes,” Michael muttered.

“You weren’t into dudes,” Ray pointed out.

“No shit. Gavin has this whole creeper and ender logic going on,” Michael muttered.

Ray’s eyes brightened and he immediately went to his chest to get…a slice of cake? “What are you doing?”

“Eat this,” Ray said.

“I thought you hated cake, why do you have some in your chest?”

“Geoff thought it was funny,” Ray explained. “Now shut up and eat it.” He shoved the cake onto Michael’s face until Michael relented and just ate, getting frosting all over his cheeks.

“Shit, I look like a mess now,” he complained, starting to clean off the frosting from his hands first before he started with his cheeks. “What the hell was the point in feeding me cake?”

Ray smiled and just announced, “Let’s go back and check on Gavin. And no, I won’t tell him anything. I’m Ray the good guy! So stop looking so fucking worried.”

They went back to Gavin’s house, passing by Ryan who looked at them curiously but did not ask questions. Gavin had red paint all over his hands. He was so focused on his work that he jumped in surprise when Ray and Michael entered. “Hey Vav, how’s the Rose.”

“Almost done X-Ray,” Gavin answered as he placed the finishing touches before handing it to Ray who grinned from ear to ear. “Vav this looks amazing! Can I hang it at my place? You know add some grace to that piece of crap?”

“Sure Ray,” Gavin grinned.

“Can I see?” Michael said, still sucking off the frosting.

Gavin turned to him and blinked. “What’s that?”

“Cake Gav. Remember when I gave you some? Well Michael made a mess of himself,” Ray said easily.

“I did not! You shoved it in my face. I haven’t even gotten to cleaning my face yet,” Michael muttered.

Gavin wordlessly crossed the room and stood in front of Michae who stopped sucking on his fingers to raise a brow at him. Ray watched the entire thing quietly, waiting for it to happen.

Gavin raised a hand, reaching for Michael when he stopped and looked at him hands. “Paint,” he mumbled.

“Yeah genius, your hands are covered in paint. Now, wanna tell me why you’re standing so close? Because I’m trying to work here,” Michael told him harshly to cover how flustered he was getting having Gavin so close.

“Lemme help,” Gavin said.

“How are you going to—“

Gavin leaned in and started licking off the frosting from his cheeks. Michael stood frozen. Ray shouted something that sounded like ‘mavin’ but no one seemed to notice.

Michael’s heart was pounding like mad. The feeling of Gavin’s wet tongue lapping his cheek, going past his lips for the other cheek…it turned his mind into mush.

And then it was over. Gavin stepped back, looked at him as if it was nothing and licked his lips. “Sweet,” he said thoughtfully.

Michael still couldn’t say anything.

And Ray smirked triumphantly.

Geoff called everyone out to start their new game and Michael was still gone.


	7. My Boi

 

 

Gavin could not stay still. He was just shaking with excitement as he walked with everyone on their way to the game course. He didn't know what they were going to do yet. Geoff had decided to postpone the game they had been working on in favor of using a previous game course that still remained unused due to the uneven number of players. But now that they had Gavin, Geoff decided that it was the perfect opportunity to test it out.

"Alright people, stay still while I explain the mechanics of the game and while Ryan works on placing the enchantment on each of you." Gavin kept wondering around them until Ray grabbed hold of his scarf to keep him still. "Settle down Vav, bossman's trying to explain." Gavin stayed still for a while, climbing on Ray while he was at it.

"Alright morons, we'll be playing Lava Wall this time. Each teams will have their own tower of wool to erect on their side," at that he looked at Gavin with a sheepish grin. "Your drunk stunt the other night gave me an idea for this course, and actually, all the other future courses." That earned a confused look from Gavin which the painted man merely grinned at as he continued with the instructions. "We'll be given a limited amount of time to set up the tower, grow trees from the sapling and bone meal in each team's chests." Gavin half listened, half played with Ray's glasses. His thoughts were wandering until he glanced at the ginger who was strangely quiet at their side. He stared while he sat on Ray's shoulders. Michael hadn't spoken a word to him since he had helped him clean off the cake on his face. Every time their eyes met, Michael would turn red, glare at him, curse softly before looking away. Gavin could only think that he was angry at him. He was wondering now what he did to anger him. He knew he pressed his buttons too much but he had never been given the cold shoulder like this.

Brown eyes met green ones and Gavin blinked out of his thoughts. Michael had once again caught him staring. A shy smile touched his lips as he waited to be ignored once again. But Michael didn't look away this time. Instead he rolled his eyes at him and tugged at his long creeper scarf. "Get down from there before you break Ray's back," he hissed.

Gavin beamed. He climbed off of Ray while Ryan was placing an enchantment on Jack and questioning Geoff's rules. "You're not mad anymore.”

Michael seemed surprised by his words and sighed. “I wasn't mad. Not really.”

Gavin grinned. He stood next to him, rocking on the balls of his feet, still grinning like an idiot. Michael was trying his best not to yell at him. “What's with that stupid grin?”

Gavin giggled. “You're not mad.”

“Yeah, so?”

It was just quite a great relief for the blonde to know that his little Michael wasn't mad. He felt lighter now, as if a huge boulder had been lifted off his chest. He didn't say anything anymore and continued to smile at the ginger. And he felt ten times better when Michael cracked a smile and muttered, “Idiot,” in an affectionate tone.

  


  


  


After the game, Gavin was felt closer to the other guys than he had before. Even though they kept cracking up at his silly stunts and his ridiculous failed attempt to make a TNT cannon, Gavin felt warm and fuzzy inside. Michael was still chuckling at the mess he made with the explosion, and Gavin delighted at the sight of the happy bearman.

He watched Ray nudge the ginger playfully, stretching both arms over his head and lacing his fingers behind his neck. Gavin had always found everyone in the group's attire strange. Ray wore dark clothing, always with a small red rose in his left pocket. And then Michael with his bear skin, Ryan with his skirt, which he calls a kilt, and then there was Geoff's and Jack's. Gavin looked down and smiled. His creeper scarf and the rest of his clothing that was covered in scattered creeper scales made him fit in to the weird bunch.

He returned his attention to Michael who was having a hushed conversation with Ray, although the latter was grinning from ear to ear in contrast to the other who was scowling darkly with a flushed face. They suddenly stopped talking and both glanced back at him, causing Gavin to give a confused expression, an obvious question mark on his face.

Michael was the first to look away, followed by Ray who threw a quick smile at Gavin before going back to whatever th two were talking about.

Gavin tilted his head in curiosity. Sometimes, well a lot of times. He envied Michael and Ray's friendship. He actually envies everyone's re;ationship with one another, like how close and comfortable they are, and how they all have so much fun living next to each other... he never had that. He was always on his own after his friend had left. And seeing how close Michael and Ray were reminded him of that.

He shook away his depressing thoughts and decided to intrude in the two's conversation. Just because Gavin understood things didn't mean he was going to was going to stop being a cheeky little prick.

“What are you lads talking about?”

“Oh, nothing really, just trying to figure out how Michael can bone--” Ray was immediately met with a fist in his stomach, causing him to half laugh and half cough.

“It's nothing Gavin,” Michael said tightly, glaring at Ray who held his hands up for some reason Gavin couldn't understand. He bit his tongue from asking. It was obvious that Michael wasn't going to share.

“So Vav, how do you like your first play?” Ray coughed.

“It was top!”

“If only you didn't fuck up the cannon,” Michael laughed.

Gavin gave him a sheepish smile, “The fire ruined it Michael.”

Once they reached Achievement City, everyone called it a day and went to their respective houses. Gavin cast one last glance as Michael entered his house, yawning as he did so, but right as he entered, he looked at Gavin and both were equally surprised to catch each other's eye.

“What is it Gavin?” Michael asked with a smile.

Gavin giggled. “Hi Michael.”

He received a chuckle in response, “Hey Gavin.”

“Hey Michael?”

“Yes Gavin?”

“Can I have some food? I forgot to get some from Geoff.”

“Sure, we can have dinner at my place.”

Gavin beamed, “Top!”

Michael laughed. “Go take a shower idiot, come over afterwards.”

As the bearman went inside, Gavin paused for a moment. Why did he feel so happy? What was it about Michael that made him want to piss him off and make him laugh at the same time? Gavin furrowed his brows. The root of his affection was most likely like that of a newborn chick seeing his mother for the first time. Wait, or was that a hen and... nevermind. In other words, Michael was the first person Gavin had talked to, his very first friend. Now that he has gotten to know the ginger a little bit more, his fondness for him had grown.

But there was something else...a strange attraction he had never felt before, almost like he was drawn to that man unconsciously and whenever he sees him, he feels better...

Maybe he should talk to Geoff about human relationships. Maybe then he'll figure out which category his feelings belonged to.

But for now, he wasgoing to enjoy eating with his angry little friend.

  


  


  


Michael couldn't get the damn butterflies out of his stomach. Ever since Ray called him out on his feelings and actually got him to admit them, his reactions towards the stupid creeper boy had become ridiculous. He couldn't stop staring at his dumb smile and the way his green eyes lit up every time their eyes met. He had to glare his way to cover his embarrassment.

He grabbed some pork and started the stove, cooking in peace. He cleared his mind of his stupid creeper boy problems and how to get the idiot to...well...notice him...

A knock on his door caused him to almost burn himself as he scarmbled to open it.

Gavin stood on the other side with hair still dripping wet. “Hi Michael!”

Michael looked at him in disbelief before bursting into laughter. “Get in here idiot.”

Gavin entered with hop to his step. “What's for dinner?”

“Pork steak,” he answered. “Why didn't you dry your hair? You're wetting my floor dumbass,” he laughed as he went to grab a towel.

“I was hungry,” Gavin grinned sheepishly.

“Moron.” Michael approached him, towel at hand, and Gavin smiled, taking a seat to let Michael dry his ridiculous hair. It was strange seeing his hair down like this, since it was always sticking up in stupid directions.

He looked down and saw Gavin with his eyes closed, a smile on his lips. He looked cute, Michael thought. He was enjoying this too. When he looked again, the blonde was looking up at him.”What?” he asked.

Gavin smirked and didn't reply, making Michael smush his head with the towel.

“Michael!”

“Let's eat.”

Michael gave Gavin his food and they both sat by the table, quietly munching away when Gavin suddenly asked, “Michael, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Well, I was going to ask Geoff or Ray about this but since you're here, then I figured I might as well...” he started hesitantly, “C-can you teach me about human relationships?”

Michael choked. “What?”

Gavin fidgeted in his seat, looking a bit lost on how to continue. “Um well...We...we're friends right?”

Michael swallowed. “Y-yeah. Yeah, we're friends Gav.”

The blonde nodded. “Well, I've had friends too...creepers and endermen who I trusted and stuff like that but I'm not sure how it works with humans. I've never really had friends and well, now that I think about it I'm not sure if I'm doing things right...”

“What do you mean by that?” Michael asked. From what he could see, Gavin had won over everyone faster than he ever did.

“Well, you see, with creepers, it's not just talk to them and you'll be friends, it's more uh well...there's a lot of waiting. You know how creepers tend to stay in one spot, then move like after bloody forever? Well, you need to stay with them long enough for them to remember not to blow up on you and for them to feel comfortable. Endermen on the other hand took a lot of sensitivity.”

“So you stayed with a creeper for like what? Five hours?” Michael asked, quite intrigued by the oddity of acquiring the creature's friendship. “So if I stayed near a creeper long enough, they'll befriend me?”

“No, you have to learn their language first you dope,” Gavin mumbled.

“Why?”

“To tell them that you mean them no harm and that there's no need to explode you dumb idiot!” laughed Gavin. “Plus it's more complicated than that but that's the simplest I could have put it.”

“Alright, alright, so what about the endermen?”

“I had to keep looking at the ground for what felt like days to earn their trust. But that was after I saved one from the rain since water's their weakness and all that. It took me forever to get them to tolerate me, much less like me.”

Michael laughed. “What about the zombies? Did you try making friends with them?”

Gavin made a face. “Bloody no.”

“Why not? Don't you wanna kiss their asses too?”

“No Michael, they smell! Have you ever smelled rotten flesh before? Yuck.”

“Okay then so if you're that good at making friends with all those creatures then what're you worrying about with humans?”

Gavin bit his lip, something Michael didn't fail to notice. “Because...I've spent my entire bloody life with those guys that human stuff confuse me. And everything is just so different. And I really don't want to bollocks it up.”

Michael smiled, his chest swelling with affection for the idiot in front of him. “Gav, buddy, you're doing great. You're not messing anything up. Jack sees you like a mischievous little puppy, Ryan enjoys your little fucked up banters, Ray's already your partner in crime, and Geoff treats you like he's your dad. You're fine Gav, just continue being you stupid self and everything will be okay.”

Gavin stared at him. “What about you Michael?”

Michael didn't like where this was going. “What about me?”

“Michael.”

Michael stared at his expectant face and sighed in defeat. “I may yell at you a lot cause of the dumb shit you do, but yeah, I uh, we're friends.”

Gavin frowned, looking at the floor. “But with you it's different.”

Michael swallowed. “What do you mean?”

Gavin flushed a bit and Michael thought that seeing him trying to figure his own feelings out was the most adorable thing he's ever seen if not the most nerve wrecking for him. “You're...You're special.”

Michael knew that Gavin was unaware of what he was doing to him, but hearing that made his expression soften. “Yeah, you're special too Gav. You're my boi.”

Gavin's expression turned from surprised to a fond expression, making Michael feel like he really was that special to him. “You're my boi too Michael.”

  


 

 

 

 


	8. Troubled

 

 

  
It's been months now since Gavin started participating in the games. He was enjoying himself immensely, feeling like he belonged somewhere for the very first time in his life. He found a father in Geoff, as the painted man was the most overprotective of him (aside from Michael) and he was introduced to his daughter and wife and was even welcomed into the family. Jack and Ryan had become fond of his ridiculous antics and always manages to get back at him for the pranks he's done to each one. Ray was his partner in crime, his one and only sidekick who he knows will always save his sorry bum every single time. And then there was Michael...his boi.

Gavin was currently sitting in his room, his secret room containing the Tower of Pimps (it had become their trophy) he had won from their last Play. His hands were covered in paint as he worked on his latest piece. The inspiration wasn't even spontaneous. He had been itching to paint the certain subject for some time now, but his confusion was something that caused him to delay it further. 

He stood back, staring at his work with wonder. It was perfect. The colors, the proportions, the life, they were all there. And Gavin felt an urge to ruin it all. To throw the painting away.

"Gavin? You in here?"

He froze as he heard Michael in his house.

He glanced at the painting he had made of his best friend and quickly hid it behind the tower before silently and swiftly coming out from the secret door. He was lucky Michael had his back to him when he came out. "Michael?" Said boy whirled around, surprised to suddenly find him. "Where have you been, Ray and I have been looking everywhere for you."

Gavin grinned, and shrugged nonchalantly. "Around."

Michael narrowed his eyes and raised a brow when he saw his friend's paint-covered hands. "You've been painting again."

Gavin said nothing as he passed by his friend to clean off. He's been painting more and more since he felt the overwhelming confusion build up inside him. He didn't know what to do. Ever since Michael had called him his boi, every single time they were together, they got closer. And the talk he had with Geoff didn't exactly help him understand anything.

It's been around two days since he's been painting nonstop every after finishing a game and his chores for the city. Two days since he's been feeling terribly lost.

He felt a hand against his shoulder and he tensed up as Michael asked, concern heavily lacing his voice. "Gav, you okay boi?"

He felt himself melt at the touch and the voice that was Michael's. And he couldn't understand why. How did Michael suddenly have so much power over him? When did this even begin?

"I'm fine Michael," he managed to reply softly.

"You don't seem okay to me. You've been holing up in your house, painting for hours. You didn't even want to tag along to go through the sheep shit."

Gavin shook his head, "It's really nothing mate. I've just had some things on my mind is all." He wasn't trying to be vague because even he himself could not understand his own inner turmoil.

"What's been on your mind then?" Michael asked, determined to get some answers.

"Just stuff..." Gavin said, twisting away from Michael and heading for his bed.

"What stuff?" the other persisted.

"Let it go Michael," Gavin sighed and turned over, facing away from him. Just then, Ray entered the house and grinned, "There you are! Michael and I have been---Oh, hi Michael, didn't see you there. What's up with your face?"

"The creeper bitch is sulking and moping about some fucking secret and he won't tell me," Michael huffed.

Ray looked at Gavin, who met his eyes pleadingly and he nodded. “Let’s just go finish up the build Geoff left us, Michael.”

Michael shot him a look of absolute disbelief. “Are you kidding me? You can’t just let –“ But he was cut off mid-sentence. “Let Gavin have some space. He go finish up with us later.”

Gavin couldn’t even throw Ray a grateful smile due to Michael scowling in his face and settling his bum on his bed. “No,” he said crossing his arms. “I left him alone for two days already. Two fucking days. He doesn’t need more time.”

Ray sighed, “Well, sorry Vav, I tried.”

“It’s okay Ray, thanks anyway,” Gavin murmured.

Michael only huffed in annoyance.

“Well, since you two love birds are busy being dumb, I’ll go on ahead and uh leave. I’m not staying here to hear you two debate on who should top, and I’m not entirely keen on finishing the build alone. So I’m just gonna go do my own thing then.” Ray left and closed the door behind him, leaving the two in tense silence.

Gavin sighed. “Go away Michael.”

“No,” Michael said gritting his teeth. “You fucking tell me what’s been up your ass for the last couple of days or I’ll sit on your fucking face until you give in.”

Gavin groaned. “That’s just it I don’t bloody know. Just leave me alone!”

Michael frowned. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily. Remember when I wouldn’t tell you a secret? You wouldn't fuck off for days! DAYS! And you kept sneaking in my house and climbing on my shoulders just to get it out of me.”

Gavin flushed slightly as he was reminded of his behavior.

“You were a fucking cheeky bastard and a prick and you managed to get it out of me. Now whatever it is you’re hiding, I'm going to force it out of you,” Michael said firmly.

Gavin stared at him. Stared at him until Michael was starting to feel awkward and flustered from it. He cleared his throat and resumed his angry stare at his best friend. “Now are you just going to continue staring at me like a goddamn idiot or are you going to tell me what the fuck has been up with you?”

It was silent, but at least Gavin wasn’t staring at him anymore.

“I don’t know.”

It was said so softly, Michael almost missed it.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” he asked quietly, although his voice was still laced with frustration.

Gavin looked at him helplessly before looking away. He searched in his brain. Searched for words that could express what he felt. But he couldn’t find anything that could describe it. And then he remembered what his best friend had told him. How the creeper described it, and soon enough he found himself saying the words to Michael and he couldn’t stop.

His heart was pounding in his ears and he stared at the other boy with a defeated expression as Michael looked lost.

Gavin was about to tear himself away when he felt hands on his shoulders. Michael looked at him with a slight smile. “Gav, I don’t think you realize that you weren’t speaking English.”

He blinked. Once. Twice. Before groaning in embarrassment, hiding his face in his hands. He was hissing again, telling Michael he was a mong and that his brain was just all over the gaff before he remembered that Michael couldn’t understand a thing.

Michael let out a small chuckle, watching Gavin beat himself up for being stupid. The other smiled at him apologetically. “It’s okay Gav. I mean, I have to say, I’m impressed you managed to avoid fucking up the language barrier this long. I thought I’d have to kiss you like every week or so.”

Gavin stuck out his tongue at him and then both of them laughed.

“So, uh, I mean, you could, you know, c’mere and let me kiss you so that we can continue our talk?” Michael said, cheeks coloring as green eyes stared at him.

Gavin’s eyes looked straight into his eyes before the lowered slowly to his lips, causing heat to creep up to Michael. Gavin nodded, his heart doing crazy jumps.

He started leaning in, ever so slightly, watching as Michael slowly closed his eyes to make it less awkward for both of them.

He licked his lips before ghosting it over Michael’s, who drew in a soft breath. And finally, Gavin pressed his mouth against his and started moving against the softness.

This was definitely different from before. Very different.

He didn’t know why he did it but he brought his tongue to lick against Michael’s slightly parted lips. He felt the shiver that raked through the other’s body and when he sucked on his bottom lip, the soft gasp that Michael made caused Gavin’s brain to just stop functioning. He sucked harder before slipping his tongue into the other’s mouth, eliciting a moan from both of them when they tasted each other.

And suddenly, Michael was working magic in his own mouth. A tongue caressed his teeth, the roof of his mouth, his willing tongue and ­it was all suddenly just a burst of pleasurable sensations that Gavin couldn’t get enough of.

It felt as if he didn’t want it to end, but soon, Michael was pulling away, trying to catch his breath. Gavin thought Michael never looked better. His pupils were blown and his lips were swollen. He was definitely going to paint Michael like this someday.

“Wow…uh,” Michael started awkwardly, clearly not knowing what to say. “Um.”

“Michael,” Gavin breathed, his face inches away from Michael’s again. The ginger blinked and blushed furiously. “When I kissed you…it was different.”

All Michael could do was give a shy nod in agreement.

“And I couldn’t stop. Even right now, I don’t understand it, but I feel like I want to kiss you more and more and more…”

Michael’s heart went thundering in his chest and he felt himself stir downstairs.

“Why though? Why do I feel this way?” Gavin murmured, brushing his lips against Michael’s while the ginger stayed still, allowing him to do whatever he wanted.

“I’ve been thinking about it for days. Why are you so bloody special? Why is it that even when I don’t see you, you’re always in my head. It’s like your stupid mug just won’t go away. Why?”

Michael suddenly kissed him. Kissed him so fiercely that they stumbled off the bed and onto the stone floor with Michael on top of him.

“I’d like to ask you the same thing because from the very first day I met you, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. You think you’re the only one who’s been so troubled?” Michael smiled, “Well good news creeperboy, ‘cause you’re not alone in this.”

 


	9. Boyfriend

 

 

 

“So, it wasn’t just me?” Gavin asked, hands finding their way to Michael’s cheeks.

Michael blushed heavily and mumbled a _no_.

“You’ve been thinking about me as well?”

“Y-yeah,” Michael answered. All his previous confidence gone, replaced by this strong urge to run away and hide.

“What does this mean, Michael? Is this a special human thing?” Gavin asked, green eyes sparkling curiously while he continued to cup Michael’s cheeks.

“Uh—“

“Because I’ve never felt this around my other friends, and even with the other guys I’ve never been like this,” Gavin said.

Michael shook his hands off and huffed, swallowing his embarrassment and deciding to face the situation like a man. “I-it means....” pausing and wondering how in the world he can explain this to his creeper friend, he took a deep breath before asking. “Gavin, do you like k-kissing me?”

That probably wasn’t the best question but it was the first thing that popped into his mind.

Gavin nodded without hesitation. “Very much. I like touching you too, like hugging, or holding your hand, or even just lying next to you.”

Michael’s face felt too hot.

He cleared his throat and continued. “H-how do you usually feel when you see me?”

Gavin paused, and answered clearly and honestly. “I feel happy. Every time I see you, even when I feel like I miss my old mates and feel homesick, the moment I see you everything feels better. You make me laugh and smile even when I think I can’t…” Gavin said looking a little shy.

Michael groaned. “I can’t believe you just said that…”

Gavin pouted. “Well, you’re the one who asked me! I just told you the answer.”

“Fucking hell Gav, I’m not making fun of you, it’s that not everyone can just say things like that without feeling embarrassed.”

“Are _you_ embarrassed?” Gavin asked.

“Of course I am dumbass! You’re practically telling me you’re in love with me and—“

“I’m in love with you?” Gavin had this funny expression, sort of like a mixture of shock and confusion.

“W-we-well what else would you call that?” Michael stuttered. “I mean—“ He knew he was avoiding confronting the boy with his own feelings but he was planning on telling him that he felt the exact same way, that he felt that way about Gav way before Gavin ever started noticing his own feelings for Michael.

Suddenly, a huge grin appeared on Michael’s face, and he lost the rest of his thoughts to how Gavin was looking at him.

“I love you, Michael,” Gavin said as if in awe.

“I…” Michael started, but he couldn’t get a single word out.

“I love you!” Gavin squealed. “All this bloody time it was just that? I thought I was becoming allergic to you or something! Bloody hell! This is brilliant!”

Michael couldn’t say a word. The butterflies fluttering in his stomach had now flown to his mouth and parked on his tongue, leaving him flustered and speechless, accompanied by an overwhelming amount of giddiness. And when the fucking butterflies finally made space, the only thing that made it past his lips was a bubble of laughter. “You thought you were becoming allergic to me?” he asked incredulously. “You idiot!”

“Michael!” Gavin whined, but there was a still a fond smile on his face. “I was seriously troubled. I thought I would have to start staying away from your mingey bum.”

“As if I would let you,” Michael grinned.

Gavin chuckled, bringing his forehead to Michael’s. He was grinning, eyes crinkled at the corners while he cupped Michael’s face again. He just continued smiling at him, looking at him as if he was the most interesting person in the world.

Gavin moved back a bit, tilting his head to the side as he watched Michael. The smile was gone, replaced by a curious and slightly nervous look. Michael couldn’t understand what brought the shift in his expression until Gavin opened his mouth. “What about you Michael? Do love me back?” he asked hesitantly, making Michael feel the urge to tease him. But knowing Gavin and how ignorant he was of these things, he might get the wrong idea.

Michael smiled, “Yeah, I don’t how, but I fucking love you too.”

Gavin beamed. “So what does this mean? I’m not exactly very knowledgeable when it comes to human mates…so you’re gonna have to help me with this.”

Michael chuckled. “Alright asshole, first of all, you’re my _boyfriend_ now. Not mate. We’re using people terms okay?”

Gavin nodded. “You’re my boyfriend.”

Michael grinned. “And you’re mine.”

“Does this change anything?” Gavin asked, absently playing with his scarf. Michael shook his head and shrugged as he said, “Not really. I mean, we’re still gonna dick around like losers and be best friends but now the only thing that will change is the fact that I get to kiss, hug, cuddle, or makeout with you whenever I want,” Michael mumbled.

“Makeout?” Gavin asked.

Michael blushed. “It’s basically a whole lot of kissing and touching…”

“Can we do it now?” Gavin said curiously.

Michael sputtered, “What? Now!?”

“I wanna touch you and kiss you a whole lot right now. So, can we?” He was already leaning forward, a predatory glint in those green eyes making Michael instinctively move back as Gavin advanced.

“Uh…I mean…” Michael swallowed hard, feeling Gavin’s breath fan his face. “Maybe we should do…this um…some other…” he said, not sounding as convincing he wanted. To be fair, he didn’t know what he wanted anymore.

“Why can’t we do it now?” Gavin asked, eyes lowering on his lips.

“Cuz…we need to finish the u-uh build Geoff left us…”

“We can do that tomorrow…” Gavin said.

“I don’t—“

But Gavin gave a small little smirk and started to hiss softly. His eyes glinted mischievously. At first, Michael could not comprehend why Gavin would purposefully switch to creeper talk but then, as he brushed his lips with a soft hiss that sent tingles of heat through his body, he knew Gavin wanted use this in order to get a kiss from him.

His back suddenly landed on the soft mattress, and he blinked in confusion. When did he decide to lie down? How did Gavin get on top of him? But all those thoughts turned into mush when Gavin’s tongue gave a small gentle lick against his lips.

“Fuck it,” he growled, attacking Gavin’s mouth with his own. A soft hiss escaped Gavin’s mouth and it sent a shiver down Michael’s spine, especially when he sucked on his tongue. Kissing Gavin like this wasn’t like kissing anything Michael had ever experienced. He made out with girls before, and he’d be lying if it never gotten intense once or twice but, this was just different. Maybe it was because Gavin wasn’t kissing him like how a human usually would, but kissing him with more of an animalistic manner. Whatever it was, it was making Michael want more. His hands tugged the scarf off of the blonde, letting his fingertips graze the boy’s nape, making his partner groan into his mouth before gripping it and giving a tug when his lower lip was bitten.

“Hey guys, do you wanna come with me to hunt some—“

Michael and Gavin both froze at the voice of their friend who stood by the door holding his iron sword, looking as if he had been punched in the gut. “Well…” he said slowly.

Gavin made a disappointed sound before moving off of Michael who sat up quickly, his face as red as Ray’s roses.

“So…maybe I’ll just go hunt on my own then…” Ray said, a small smirk on his lips as he put his sword away.

“No, we’ll go with you. It’s dangerous to hunt alone,” Michael said, not daring to look at the creeper boy next to him. Ray merely shrugged, that knowing smirk never leaving his face. Gavin merely made a noise of agreement before getting up and putting his scarf on. His hair was messier than usual, most likely from what happened earlier. He caught Michael staring and smiled cheerfully.

“Let’s go get some food, Michael,” he said smiling.

“We should go before the skeletons start spawning to shoot our asses,” Ray said as he walked out.

“He’s right,” Michael agreed, finally getting up from the bed to grab some armor and his diamond sword. Gavin was just walking around his house, waiting for him to finish getting ready. “Okay, sorry, let’s go catch to Ray,” Michael said as he hurried out, Gavin following close behind.

Ray was waiting for them by the entrance to the woods, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. He caught sight of them and smiled. “So, mavin is real?”

“Shut up ray,” Michael laughed.

“Mavin?” Gavin asked.

“It’s nothing Gav,” Michael said, casting a quick warning for Ray not to say anything. The Puerto Rican laughed and brought up his hands in surrender.

Gavin didn’t seem that interested as they entered the woods. “Michael?” he asked instead. Turning toward him, Michael was about to ask what when Gavin kissed him. He pulled back and grinned at the shocked brunette.

“God, guys, please. Not when I’m right here,” Ray complained. “I mean, you guys are cute and all but still it can be annoying and gross.”

Gavin simply laughed and attempted to plant a kiss on Ray’s cheek.

“Moron,” Michael said shaking his head and smiling fondly at his creeper.


End file.
